Method of and apparatus for treating fruit trees



Dec. 2, 1930. 'r. w. JOHNSON 1,783,430

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FRUIT TREES Filed April 2. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /17 czgi gwwmtoz Dec. 2, 1930. 'r. w. JOHNSON 1,733,430

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FRUIT TREES Filed April 2. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 s es Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mnoms w. aonuson, or mouncmln iew, CALIFORNIA, assienon T0 vxcwon H. owsn, es GARLAND, CALIFOBHIA METHOD oi! ANDQAPPARaTU-s son TREATING FRUIT TREES h ueaus uee April 2, 1929. Serial No. 351,394;

This invention relates to a methodof treating fruit trees so as 0 increase the p oduetion of good fruit. @143 method also relates to a process of preve in the destruction of the fruit by mould or ii The invention also relates to an apparat y means of which the method may he put into operation.

Substantially all blossoms of fruit trees, such as the apricot, peech, apple, plum, almond, etc include acalyx ring or outer oil ole of the floral envelopes. After the: biossome fall the calyx ring is retained and the fruit begins to form within the tr ing and theealyg; is gradually displaced and eventually dislodged by the growing fruit. 7 7

It has been discovered that the fruiterogs are heavily damaged and the produetiyiiy of orchards and fruit trees materially duced unless the calyx ring (otherwise as the jaeket or shock): is removed: soqnzafllel theyoung fruit begins. to fQI'IIIh-hefigifl If the calyx or jacket isnot remeged a id instead the fruit tree is suhjected to a rain or a heavyipreeiuitetieu of dew, the moisture I retained beneath, in 'or' on the, jaekeh or oslyx eeuses a mouldand/or rot. Ii the jacket or ealyxfis allowed to remainon the young, growing fruit with the moisture thesebeneath, thereon for; therein, the mould; :prevlents' the .iruit fI'Olfl 5 gtougin g and causes 7 destruietionr thereof by or decay." These conditions are, of course, most pronounced in certain parts of the country Where rains occur during 01: immediately after the trees are in bloom; or where the orehesds iii-e subjected to heavyfogs or defies; as along the Coast of California. The damage caused by mould or rot of this said, engeudered bene h in, Or on the calyx,has;beensknowu to reduce'the crop by se enty-five pes eefit during certain years. It is so he understoedthat ifizilke young fruit are not subjected to or moisture, then the jaeketorealyx will become dry and fall ofinelsirallyg V 7 Furthermore, fruie eseh'ards particularly a ricot, almond; plumend p ach, are subject to the ravages ofthe'eurculimwhieh epparently thrives during that period of tisie that the trees are in bloom and immediaieiy the-seems It has beezrifeund veizy difiieult to free orchards from this insect, as the use of ai'senical sprays and other insecticides capahle of eating upon the curculio noted- Visahle, these sprays adverselyafi'ecting the foliage hnds and young fruit.

The method hereinafter described in detail is directed toward the removallof, the calyx, shuck or jacket from the young fruit and the moisture therebeneath, therein or thereon, so as to preveet the developmeut of mould and retthereuhder 'ahd is alsos direeted toward the removal of the cui'eulio. In describing the invention, reference will be had to the zip:-

Fig l illustrates young ap miyx th ereonh V V W r r r r Fig. 2 is eqilan view oi Qflfiififfir of'appai'jatusedapteditoheusedin carrying out the licot-s the i :E igafiis a side eiesation oi the apparatus Shown in Fig. 2, r Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3. i Fig. 5 is a front elevation 0257a modified fomu'of apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the modified formiof apparatus shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, particularly to Fig. 1, there is' illustruted ai branch of as apricot tree 1, bearing s s esg yeflng p i fruit 2 and a slightly largerapiieotil. sland 5 1" V i shhe jeeliets, shucks or calyx rings, the calyx 4: being rather firmly in position upon illie fruit 2 Whereas the eelyx fiisin the process ef'heirig' thrownofii' by the growth of Fruitiu the-stage shown in Fig; 1 are suhjeet'tei thedevelopment oi mould beneath the calyx rings 4 and 5, as has heen stated hereriziabesgiand it is the object of thi fiiill-vention to remove the calyx rings orjeehees from the fruit and the moisture thereheneeth therein of]? iihereen while they are suhs tantial'ly in the eehditien shown in Fi 1; r

' Geueraiiy describe he comprises removing the calyx from young,

eemseises subjecting thetseeeteeiorcible,

directed current of air, the air being preferably applied at a velocity suflicient to blow the calyx and the moisture carried thereby oil the young fruit.

In carrying out the invention the apparatus shown 2 to 4 inclusive may be employed. The apparatus is preferably mounted upon a suitable portable base, such as tor example, a truck body 6 and preferably at the rear thereof. The apparatus may include a suitable power imparting means such as a motor 7 which, as is illustrated in the drawings, may he an internal combustion water cooled engine. Such power means 7 may he operably connected to a radiator 8 and also connected, as by means of a suitable shaft 9 with a propeller 10. The shaft 9 may be journaled in a block 11 attached to a cross member-12. which in turn may be attached to the truck body 6. The propeller, shaft, m0- tor, etc., may all be mounted upon skids 13, so as to facilitate the removal of the apparatus from the truck.

It willbe noticed that the apparatus shown in Figsf 2 to 4 includes a propeller mounted upon a shaft extending longitudinally of the truck or other portable means 6. In order to effectively utilize the apparatus a deflector 14 is preferably positioned on the truck body 6. and'in operative relation with the apparatus thereon, so as to cause the air set in motion by the air screw or propeller 10 to be deflected as indicated by the arrows 15, to each side of the longitudinal axis of the truck or other portable support 6. This construction permits that the apparatus be moved between adjoining rows of fruit trees and simultaneously subject both rows of trees to a current of air of sufficient intensity to blow oil and remove the calyx rings adhering to the young fruit.

If desired, apertures, as the apertures 16 may be provided in the wind deflector 14 so as to direct some air currents against or into contact with the motor 7, thereby assisting in the cooling of said motor.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a modified form of a paratus may include a motor 7 mounted upon the rear ortion of a truck, trailer or other movable member 6, said motor 7 being operativcly connected to an air screw or propener'l-ohaving a wind deflector l7 ext-ending below the level of the truo'k or trailer body (5, as is indicated at 18.

The wind deflector I? ma be provided with an apex 19 substantially directly back of the axis of the air screw or propeller 10; the sides of the deflector l7 curving outwardly from the apex 19 in themanner ofthe'. deflector 1e illustrated in Fi 2. The lower p01" tion or the deflector 17 may be provided with outwardfy and upwardly inclined portions 20, by of which ale displaced by the propeller 10 maybe deflected been outwardly and inwardl as indicated by ane arrow 21.

The modified form of apparatus shown in Figs. 5 and 6, therefore. distributes and directs the air displaced by the propeller 10 with greater effectiveness than the wind deflector 14, shown in position on the apparatus illustratedin Figs, 2 Band's; directing said air upwardly whic more effectively causes the removal of the calyx rings from the fruit.

It is to be understood that it is not essential that the apparatus be mounted upon a truck or trailer in such manner as to have the longitudinal axis of the propeller shaft 9 lie in a plane' substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the truck, trailer or other portable body 6. Instead the apparatus may be mounted upon a truck or trailer with the axis of the propeller shaft extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the truck or trailer. Under these conditions, however, it is more diflicult to subject adjoining rows of trees to a simultaneous current of air, whereas the apparatus illustrated in the drawings appended hereto permits two adjoining rows of trees to be simultaneously treated, thereby facilitating the entire operation.

The method and apparatus described herein need not be employed only for the removal of jackets, shucks or calyx rings from young fruit, but in addition ma be employed to rid fruit orchards from t e ravages of curculios. The curculio is dormant orindisposed to fly in the morning, and in carrying out the method of this invention for the removal of this insect fromorchards; the trees are subjected to a positive, strong current of air during the morning hours. Preferably, canvas sheets or similar members are spread out beneath the trees, and the trees then subjected to a current of air, the insects being blown off the branches and falling onto the sheets or strips of canvas, from which they may be gathered. for disposal.

By carrying out the method of this invention as applied to fruit trees immediately after the blossoms fall naturally, or within a relatively short period after the blossoms fall, the jackets or calyx rings and the water and moisture therein, may be removed etfectively and the fruit permitted to develop Without the possibility of destruction of a large portion of the crop by the development of mould and/or rot on the fruit.

It is to be understood that numerous changes and modifications can be made in the arrangement and combination of elements particularly described hereinabove, the method consisting essentially of removing calyx rings and/or calyx rings and moisture carried thereby from growing fruit by subjecting' them to a strong directed current of air of su'fiicient intensity to blow said rings 01%- the fruit.

I claim:

1. A method of treating fruit trees to increase the productivity thereof, including the step of removing the calyx rings from young fruit by subjecting the fruit to an artificial current of air.

2. In a method of treating fruit trees to increase the productivity thereof, the step of subjecting fruit trees, after blossoms have fallen off, to an artificial current of air of sufficient velocity to blow off calyx rings remaining on the trees.

3. In a method of treating fruit trees to increase the productivity thereof, the step of subjecting fruit trees, after blossoms have fallen off and young fruit has separated the calyx from the stem, to an artificial current of air of suflicient velocity rings 01? the trees.

43in a method of treating fruit trees to increase the production of sound fruit therefrom, the step of subjecting fruit trees after blossoms have fallen oil but before calyx rings have fallen off, to a directed artificial current of air sufiicient to remove moisture from contact with young fruit.

Signed at Mountain View, Calif., this 23rd day of'March, 1929.

THOMAS W. JOHNSON.

to blow said calyx 

